What's Your Secret?
by Ulquiorra9000
Summary: Soma and his brilliant cooking have been on Alice Nakiri's mind ever since her defeat at the Autumn Elections. Just how did a nobody like him defeat her and make it to the finals? She must find out! One-shot.


**What's Your Secret?**

by Ulquiorra9000

Anyone else might have thought that Ryo was just humoring Alice at this point, after four hours of work, but the guy really was trying his hardest. Which isn't saying much while he has his red bandana off. He just sat there at a desk in the empty classroom, chin resting on his palm, face blank as Alice Nakiri wrote another line onto the chalkboard.

"Well, Soma Yukihira's bandana is _white_ , compared to your _red_ ," Alice said, the chalk squeaking as she wrote in the last empty space on the board. She tilted her head in thought. "Red is the color of passion, and white, of purity... purity of flavor? Concentration? Purpose? Am I on to something here, Ryo?"

"I don't know, mistress," Ryo said for the hundredth time.

"Mmmmmmm... it's all I've got," Alice whined. "All my other theories are bunk! Look at them all!" She waved a hand at the other nonsense written on the board. "Come on! We've got to crack Soma's code for excellent cooking!"

"Yes, mistress."

Alice smiled. "Okay... so, is the bandana color the secret?"

"I don't know, mistress." That made 101.

Alice pouted. "Oh, this is useless! We've been brainstorming here for hours! And for what?"

"I don't know, mistress." That was 102, right?

Alice stopped keeping track at this point. Instead, she threw her chalk onto the floor and humphed. "Fine! We'll get a fresh start and think of something new tomorrow. Are you ready?!" She pointed at her subordinate.

Ryo blinked. "Can't you just interview him, or do a cooking session together?"

Alice squeaked. "Wh-what? No! I can't be seen with him... he's way below my station. And I'm sure he'd refuse."

"If you say so."

"I mean..." Alice went pink and toyed with the jacket of her uniform, glancing away. "I-I'm sure he's pretty busy studying, and he doesn't like Erina or me very much..."

"If you say so."

"Let's get back to work tomorrow, then, okay?" Alice said cheerily. "I'm sure we'll have some fresh ideas to think over."

"Yes, mistress."

"Good! Chop chop!" Alice seized the collar of Ryo's school uniform and dragged him outta there.

*o*o*o*o*

Soma still couldn't believe his eyes when he walked up a pathway on Totsuki Academy's campus toward a research building up ahead, staring at the hand-written note in his hands. Somehow, some way, Erina Nakiri had invited _him_ to "do a little taste-test" with her? Had she changed her mind after Soma's performance in the Autumn Elections, making it to the finals before losing to Akira? And he had certainly made waves during the Stagiaire, at SHINO's Tokyo. Maybe that lofty queen was coming around after all...

"Well, bring it on, then!" Soma said, opening the front doors and heading to a room specified in the note. He knocked on the door. No response.

"I'm coning in, Erina. Not late, am I?" Soma put on a wide smile as he swung open the door.

Alice Nakiri sprang up from her seat in the lab. "There you are, Soma! Just in time!" Ryo stood right behind her, eyes blank, hands clasped behind his back.

Soma gawked. "What the... Alice?"

Alice smiled and smoothed the plaid skirt of her uniform with trembling hands. "Nice to see you again, Soma," she said breathlessly. "You're looking well."

"But..." Soma held up the note. "Your cousin -"

"Oh, never mind her! _I_ wrote that," Alice said with a giggle. "I can copy her handwriting, you see. Fooled you!"

"But I've never even seen Erina's handwriting before..."

Alice shut the door and took hold of Soma's wrist, dragging him to a table loaded with equipment. "How are you feeling? Perky? Alert? Fresh?"

"Uh... what's all this?" Soma didn't even resist when Alice forced him into a seat and started attaching nodes and wires to his forehead. Was that a lie detector on the table?!

Finally, Ryo spoke up while Alice worked. "The mistress was intrigued by your performance in the Autumn Elections," he said flatly. "She wishes to know more, Soma Yukihira."

Soma shivered. This was the same culinary demon who had massacred almost all the competition last week. And now, he was back in drone mode. Like night and day, or something else poetic.

But...

"I didn't even win," Soma pointed out as Alice fiddled with dials on her machine. "Shouldn't you do this to Akira instead? I bet he'd cooperate. He's a nice guy." Soma offered a watery smile. What the hell was up with the Nakiri cousins, anyway?

Alice leaned forward and cupped a warm hand on Soma's cheek, her face close to his. "It's like Ryo said, Soma... you're _fascinating_ to me. How did a family diner bumpkin defeat _me_ in the first round? That bento box... ohhhhh, that's not something an ordinary mind could dream up!" She went pink as she giggled again.

Soma caught a whiff of Alice's subtle but expensive perfume and felt his face warm. "Uh... w-weren't we gonna do some experiment?" Up close, Alice really was quite attractive... too bad she was also a maniac.

Alice blinked. "Whoops! Almost forgot. Okay, let's begin." She smiled and settled into a seat across the table, depressing a button. "What's your name?"

"You know that."

"Just say it!" Alice whined.

Soma rolled his eyes. "Soma Yukihira."

"Age?"

"Come on..."

"Soma!"

"Fifteen."

"Personal background?"

Soma grinned. "I help my dad at our family restaurant, Yukihira Diner. Until he closed it up and made me attend Totsuki."

"Perfect..." Alice checked out the readings on her machine. "Hmmmmmm... how did you feel, going into the Autumn Elections with such stiff competition? Ryo and I, plus that dear Takumi boy, and Hayama were all there... weren't you scared?"

Soma broke into a warm smile. "No way! It reminded me of why I cook: to explore new boundaries of food and flavor, and test myself against the best. And even if I lose, I can still learn and grow as a chef."

Alice clapped her hands together while Ryo stood there like a stone statue. "Wonderful! Just like I expected! Now..." She leaned forward again, her eager eyes on Soma's. _"What's your secret?"_

Soma made an innocent face. "My what, now?"

"Your secret, your ace in the hole." Alice slapped a hand onto the table. "You made it much further in Totsuki than any transfer student should, especially one with a family diner background. You've got some killer secret, Soma. Care to tell me?"

"Uh..." Soma glanced at Ryo for help, but the boy was just staring at the far wall. Soma swallowed. "Hard work and... dedication?"

"No, no, no!" Alice stood and stalked over to Soma, pointing a demanding finger at him. "Don't give me some pedestrian answer, Soma! You're holding out on me."

"Am not!"

Alice towered over Soma, fists on her hips. "I can break you, you know, and expose every thought\ in your head. I've _got_ to know that little secret of yours."

Soma made a nervous chuckle. "Come on, I don't have a special secret. I'm just a good cook. And you're not normally like this, Alice..."

"Am I not?" Alice bent forward again, this time holding Soma's head with both hands, her face gentle. "You think you can resist _me_?"

Soma squirmed. "Is this even about my cooking anymore?"

"Tell me, Soma." Alice went pink and brought her face closer to Soma's, her breathing hard, her face flushed. "Please? I've never met anyone like you, Soma Yukihira... stay here, with me, and give me what I want."

Soma jerked back. "Give you what?!"

"Just a taste..." Alice very gently ran her lips along Soma's jaw and planted a kiss on his chin, her lids half-lowered. "Give me a taste..." Now she caressed his neck and shoulders, her hands trembling with desire.

"A-Alice...?"

"Oh! I almost forgot." Alice stood up and clapped her hands together. "Ryo, be a darling and bring the cart."

Ryo brought over a silvery cart loaded with different spices, sauces, meats, and chopped vegetables. At once, Alice dipped her finger into a sauce and lovingly offered it to her captive. "Here. Taste it," she panted.

Soma tried to move out of the way. "What are you doing -mmmmf!"

Alice prodded her finger into Soma's mouth, and Soma tasted a fine, creamy ranch dressing. "How's that, darling Soma?"

"Needs a salad first," Soma said from around Alice's finger.

"Then how about this?" Alice held a cherry between her teeth and leaned over, planting a slobbery kiss on Soma's open mouth. She transferred the ripe cherry, and Soma had to admit, it was pretty good!

"Is this revenge because I won our duel in the Elections?" Soma asked with a nervous smile. "This isn't like you..."

"Let's call it our little secret," Alice said, smiling as she put up a shushing finger over her lips. "Now..." She put a strawberry between her teeth and straddled Soma's lap, hands on his shoulders as she leaned forward. "Here, bite down on this..."

"Um -"

"Don't you _want_ it?"

"What the heck has gotten into you?!" Soma cried. He peeked over Alice's shoulders. "Ryo, what -"

Ryo glanced away and humphed.

"No one's gonna bother us here, darling," Alice breathed. "Take it, Soma. Take my -"

"ALICE!"

Everyone jumped when the door slammed open and Erina's assistant, Hisako, stormed in. "I knew you were up to no good!" Hisako barked. "Get off that poor boy right now!"

Alice stuck out her tongue. "What are you, jealous? Did you get a little bonding time during the Stagiaire?"

Hisako didn't say a word. Instead, she shoved her way past Ryo and pried Alice off her captive.

"Darn it, Hisako!" Alice pouted, going even redder in the face. "I was so close to finding Soma's secret to genius cuisine! I gotta know!"

"Something tells me that's not _all_ you were after," Hisako bit back. "You've been acting odd since yesterday evening, Alice. Erina noticed."

Alice scowled. "Is that how you found me? Did you follow me here?"

"Erina needed a precaution," Hisako said loftily. "And she was right. Get out of here before I alert the Director."

Alice flinched. "You'd call my grandfather on me? Don't! I just need five more minutes..." She lunged toward Soma and wrapped her arms protectively around him, glaring back at Hisako.

Hisako lost all patience and booted Alice off her captive, then dragged her out of the room. "Come on, Ryo."

"Yes, miss Arato." Ryo gave Soma an odd glance before he shuffled off after the two girls.

Soma sat there in numb shock before he finally removed the wires and nodes and stood up. He sighed. He was sure making waves at Totsuki, all right. But not always the right kinds!

*o*o*o*o*

Early the next morning, just as Soma finished breakfast, two guests were admitted into the dormitory. Soma tensed up when Ryo stalked toward him, fists held at his sides.

"Uh... is there a problem?" Soma asked.

Ryo glared at Soma, then bowed. "I am sorry, Yukihira. This is my fault."

Soma relaxed. "Say what?"

"Alice really wanted to understand your mental process and cooking strategies," Ryo explained. "But she was too timid to ask you."

"Didn't seem like it," Soma commented. "What's her deal? I mean, if you don't mind me asking."

Ryo stood back up. "An aphrodisiac."

Soma went red. "Wh-what?'

"I fed her an aphrodisiac I learned from Hayama last night in her dinner," Ryo said. "She does not have the God Tongue, so it went undetected. I just wanted her to have the courage to meet you and be your friend."

Soma hung his head. "Too heavy-handed, Ryo."

"Yes, I understand that now." Ryo shrugged. "At any rate, the aphrodisiac as worn off by now. Do you accept my apology, Soma Yukihira?"

"Okay. Yeah. I can't blame you for trying to help Alice." Soma made a mortified face. "But next time, try and intervene a little."

"Understood." Ryo turned and headed for the door. "See you in class, I suppose."

Soma just sat there, trying to process all that. He gave up and went back upstairs to brush his teeth. He wouldn't see Alice again for a while, anyway. Might as well focus on class today.

But after today's last class, Soma was stopped in the hallway with a tap on the shoulder. He turned and found Alice Nakiri standing there, a modest smile on her face. "Um... good afternoon, Soma."

"Alice." Soma opened his mouth to speak when Alice interrupted.

"I'm sorry about yesterday," Alice said meekly. "I really am. Ryo explained his little trick to me this morning. We promise not to do anything like that anymore."

"Thanks, Alice."

"Then... we're even?" Alice asked.

Soma smiled. "Well, sure. I hope we can just be good friends, Alice. You're such a nice girl, after all."

"Great!" Alice beamed and took hold of Soma's right hand in both of hers, and she dragged him down the hall. "Then you won't mind if we have a little interview, right?"

Soma choked. "I-interview?"

Alice winked at him. "I never learned your secret, Soma."

"But -!"

"Just five minutes," Alice implored him, shoving him into an empty classroom. She shut the door and held up a finger, smiling widely. "I need to know: _what is your secret_?"

Soma groaned. He'd have to think of something brilliant to get rid of her once and for all!

 **THE END!**


End file.
